library 

OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. 



Railroad Accidents, 
Their Causes 
and Remedy 


By D. F. JURGENSEN 
Engineer for 


MINNESOTA RAILROAD 
AND WAREHOUSE 
COMMISSION 


St. Paul, Minn., 
October 23rd, 1912 


Minneapolis, Minn. 
SYNDICATE PRINTING CO. 
1912 



Yyuavy^ , W Y? . 2- Ccv^ 


I 


Railroad Accidents, Their Causes 
and Remedy 

By D. F. Jurgensen, Engineer for Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission. 



/ 


Before the value of any remedial measure can be determined for rail- 
road accidents, and their resulting casualties, the principal causes of acci- 
dents must be ascertained. 

The Interstate Commerce and many of the state commissions have for 
sometime past conducted investigations, resulting in a large amount of in- 
formation, from which reliable deductions may be drawn concerning the 
causes of railroad accidents. Accident bulletins of the Interstate Commerce 
Commission, Nos. 42 and 43, are the latest issues available, and cover the 
six months period between October, 1911 and March, 1912, inclusive. 
The conditions described are, generally speaking, typical. It is found that 
^,249 train accidents occurred on the interstate steam railroads in the 
United States during that period, resulting in 447 deaths and 8,383 in- 
juries to persons. 

ACCIDENTS CAN BE CLASSIFIED. 

It is apparent from a study of the causes to which these mishaps 
are attributed, they may first be classified under two heads, to-wit: Pre- 
ventable and Non-preventable. 


PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. 

Under this head, should be placed all accidents caused by collisions, 
spread rails, soft track, bad ties, irregular track and negligence of em- 
ployes. The responsiblity for them can be directly placed; they are at- 
tributable to carelessness, human fallibility, false economy or failure to 
provide safe means on the part of the companies. Thus in each case, some 
duty has been neglected because of which the casualty occurred. 


NON-PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. 


Non-preventable accidents are those caused by latent defects of equip- 
ment, broken rails, unforseen and malicious obstructions on track, etc., the 




responsibility for which cannot be directly placed. 


■p 3 y 65*7 


RAILROAD ACCIDENTS ON INTERSTATE STEAM RAIL- 
WAYS IN THE UNITED STATES. 

October, 1911 to March, 1912, inclusive. 

Tables are herewith given listing the above mentioned accidents, classi- 
fied as stated, and from which it is found: 


PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. 


CAUSES 

Number 

PERSONS 

Killed 

Injured 

Collisions 

3,100 

145 

267 

4,804 

167 

Spread rails 

4 

Snft track 

188 

3 

93 

Bad ties 

30 

0 

17 

Irregular track 

258 

6 

327 

Miscellaneous roadway defects 

168 

8 

204 

Nppliaencp nf pmplnyps 

214 

7 

224 



T OTALS 

4,103 

295 

5,836 



NON-PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. 




PERSONS 

CAUSES 

Number 



Killed 

Injured 



Defects of equipment 

1,981 

38 

698 

Broken rails 

277 

22 

768 

Unforeseen obstructions on track 

214 

35 

273 

Malicious obstructions on track 

33 

6 

127 

Miscellaneous 

639 

50 

665 

Sun kink 

2 

1 

16 

Totals 

3,146 

152 

2,547 

Grand Totals 

7,249 

447 

8,383 


RESPONSIBILITY OF PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. 

Under the above mentioned classifications, it is shown that preventable 
accidents are responsible for 

4,103 or 36.6 per cent of all the mishaps, 

295 or 66.0 per cent of all the deaths, 

5,836 or 69.6 per cent of all the injuries, 

6,131 or 69.4 per cent of all the casualties. 

COLLISIONS. 

Collisions alone of all the preventable accidents are found to be. respon- 
sible for 


4 


3,100 or 75.3 per cent of the preventable accidents, and 42.7 per cent 
of all accidents; 

267 or 90.5 per cent of the deaths from preventable accidents and 59.7 
per cent of deaths from all accidents, 

4,804 or 82.3 per cent of the injuries from preventable accidents and 57.3 
per cent of injuries from all accidents. 

5,071 or 82.7 per cent of 'the casualties from preventable accidents and 
57.4 per cent of casualties from all accidents. 

COLLISIONS HAVE FEATURED DURING 1912. 

Collisions, in particular, have featured in railroad casualties during the 
past year and early relief therefrom must be secured to the public which 
is demanding the safe service to which it is justly entitled. If this single 
cause can be eliminated, an important step will have been taken toward 
making railroad travel safer. 

COLLISIONS ARE INEXCUSABLE. 

Of all classes of railroad accidents, collisions appear to be the least 
excusable. From a study of the rules, regulations and other safeguards 
thrown around operation of trains by the companies, it is impossible to 
foresee how a collision could occur if strict compliance therewith be rigidly 
observed, but they do occur with appalling frequency, and are the direct 
cause of a majority of the casualties. 

CAUSE OF COLLISIONS. 

It is difficult to see any value in a rule which is not enforced; if, there- 
fore, we find that each collision resulted from a failure by someone to ob- 
serve a rule made to prevent such an occurrence, our problem is simplified 
to finding some means for the establishment and enforcement of proper 
rules, for there is no industry in existence more dependent upon the human 
element for its safe operation than is a railway. In none of the ordinary 
walks of life, generally, are employes so well compensated for their services. 
Their hours of labor and rest have also been regulated by legislation to 
their advantage. They may and should be held to a high degree of effi- 
ciency. 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR NON-OBSERVANCE OF RULES 

DISPUTED. 

There is apparently a sharp division of opinion on this score between 
the managers and general officers who formulate the rules and the employes 
who are required to obey them, and it is a familiar claim that employes are 
at times expected to violate written rules, and if the required operations are to 
be conducted within the time allowed such violations are unavoidable. This 


5 


is denied by the officers who claim that obesrvance of the rules, though 
earnestly desired by them, is impossible of enforcement, because of the negli- 
gence of their employes, and that the fault for such violations is chargeable 
to the individual employe. 

STATE SHOULD ASSERT ITS AUTHORITY. 

Without attempting to say which of these contentions is true or whether 
the truth lies between them, the mere fact that the rules are violated and that 
each class asserts their observance, is prevented by the activities of the other 
class, demonstrates the necessity that the state, more powerful than either, and 
representing the public, must in some manner assert its authority and secure 
both the establishment and the observance of proper methods of operation. 

STEEL CARS vs. WOODEN CARS. 

In our effort to eliminate the causes of collisions, we should confine 
ourselves strictly to questions which are pertinent to the problem. In my 
judgment, the wreck-resisting qualities of steel and wooden cars should not 
enter into consideration, because to anticipate the continuaton of this lament- 
able feature of railroad operation, with a view toward the construction of 
wreck-proof cars and equipment, would be equivalent to a suggestion to the 
public that they should pot expect to obtain satisfactory relief from prevent- 
able railroad accidents. 

AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF TRAINS. 

Automatic mechanical devices for controlling train operation have been 
suggested as being the only possible means for checkmating collisions on the 
railways in this country. 

The necessity for automatic control of trains is not established until we 
have exhausted all means for prevention of errors in train operation now at our 
command. Some justification will then exist for seeking other fields for 
a remedy. 

The fact that European managers do not consider such mechanical 
means essential for safe operation of trains should induce us to exercise caution 
in recommending measures of this character for adoption. 

It might be preferable to emulate the methods of our foreign neighbors, 
whose enviable record of comparative freedom from preventable accidents in 
railroad operation, has attracted wide comment and approval, even in our 
own country. 

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SECONDARY TO SIGNAL 

SYSTEMS. 

The automatic train control device, if its utility could be established, 
would at the very best be only an auxiliary to and of secondary importance 
to the signal systems, and past experiences have proven that practices, not es- 


6 


sential to the safe operation of trains are, as a general rule, not given the 
careful attention that the primary measures receive. 

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL vs. AUTOMATIC COUPLER. 

Notwithstanding that the inventive genius of man has not yet been able 
to devise an automatic train control device that will work with absolute pre- 
cision under all climatic and other conditions arising in train operation, argu- 
ments have been advanced to the effect that legislation should be enacted 
making the adoption of such means compulsory on the part of the railway 
companies within a limited period of time; the point in view being that such 
action would tend to spur the railway companies into hastening the perfection 
of such means. Legislation resulting in the adoption of the automatic coupler 
and other safety appliances, pertaining to cars and locomotives, is cited as an 
example of what may be accomplished in this direction by the passage of such 
laws. However, this legislation, requiring the railway companies to adopt the 
automatic coupler, was not made effective until many years after the device 
had been perfected. 

Its practicability, absolute reliability and worth had been established be- 
yond a question of doubt by severe service tests in actual railroad practice, 
and it had already been adopted by many of the leading railway companies 
in this country. In this regard, there is positively no similarity between the 
two propositions. The elimination of the old type link and pin coupler — for 
the automatic type, presented an entirely different problem from the removal 
of the human equation from train operation. The former concerned the 
employe’s safety while in the act of performing his prescribed duties, while 
the problem in hand contemplates largely the passengers’ safety from the 
employe’s failure or error in performing his prescribed duties. 


DANGER IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF TRAINS. 

Except perhaps in a very few conceivable special cases, it is a question 
whether grave danger does not lurk in the introduction of a mechanical means 
that tends to make an automaton of a railway employe. This device is likely 
to make the employe careless of the responsibilities which he has assumed. 
It may cause him to feel that he is a mere supernumerary who has been prac- 
tically relieved of responsibility in the handling and control of the train, 
vigilance over track, signals, flags, and in fact will, to a certain extent, en- 
courage the omission of many of the duties and requirements so essential and 
necessary to insure the maximum of safety in train operation. 


7 


AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL WILL SHIFT RESPON- 
SIBILITY. 


The automatic train control device might shift the responsibility of safe 
train operation from the high grade and long experienced engineman or train 
operator to the less experienced maintainer of mechanical devices. The suc- 
cessful working of any piece of mechanism is solely dependent at all times 
on the hand and mind creating it, so it must need follow if the human agency 
fails, either directly as in the first instance or indirectly as in the second case, 
a calamity would result. 

MECHANICAL PRECISION vs. HUMAN PRECISION. 

Even if we were to realize the ideal automatic mechanical control of 
trains, it would still be extremely doubtful if such beneficial results could 
be obtained from the automaton as would be possible from the best efforts 
of the human agency, because it has been well demonstrated in the past 
that the skill of the human hand is capable of producing results which the 
most accurate machinery cannot accomplish. No system of mechanical 
safeguards can be devised that will dispense entirely with human responsibility. 
Man’s genius, with all its vast accomplishments in mechanical perfection, has 
not yet succeeded in developing the “fool proof” machine, but in every opera- 
tion there appears at some point the dominating influence of the human mind. 
Let it relax or waver for an instant and all mechanical perfection is at naught. 

AMERICAN RAILWAYS SUPERIOR IN MECHANICAL 

EQUIPMENT. 

No railways are better equipped with mechanical devices for safeguarding 
human life than are the railways of this country. Cars and locomotives of 
the most modern construction equipped with air brakes of the most efficient 
design, are in general use. Highly perfected automatic signal systems, de- 
signed to preclude the possibility of collision, are in use on many lines. Their 
use is being extended, although not so rapidly as might be. Yet, with all 
these mechanical measures, lives are snuffed out by the score, because some 
man failed to perform his duty. With all our perfection in this direction, 
it begins to appear as though we are encouraging carelessness among em- 
ployes through over-confidence in mechanical perfection. 

INVESTIGATIONS OF COLLISIONS. 

A notable feature in practically every report of collisions is the recital 
that one or several employes failed to do something which they should have 
done, and if they had obeyed the rules of the company, the collision and 


8 


resulting casualties would not have occurred. In this regard, there is a 
marked contrast in sensibility to duty and appreciation of responsibility to 
society between the railway employes of this country and those of European 
railways. Whenever the European railway employe fails in performing his 
prescribed duty in train operation, and his failure of duty results in death or 
injury to persons, he is held accountable to the state, and it is an interesting 
fact that there are even less fatalities in connection wih the operation of rail- 
ways in Germany than with that of the agricultural pursuits of that country. 


AMERICAN EMPLOYE vs. EUROPEAN EMPLOYE. 

It is doing the American employe an injustice to contend that he is inferior, 
mentally and physically, to his European brother and, therefore, that it is 
necessary to devise mechanical means to perform the services to which society 
is entitled and which the employe is in duty obligated to render. If it is 
possible for the European railway manager, the American manufacturer, 
businessman, contractor, and the government, to obtain absolute reliability and 
precision from their employes, it ought not to be impossible for the American 
railway companies to get the same attention to duty and precision from their 
employes. 


RAILWAY EMPLOYES SHOULD BE SENSIBLE OF THEIR 
DEBT TO SOCIETY. 

The railway employe should understand that a railway is a quasi-public 
corporation and that when he accepts employment with it, he becomes a 
quasi-public servant and owes the same duty and responsibility to society as 
the company that employs him. 


REMEDY SHOULD BE DEVISED FOR FALLIBILITY IN RAIL- 
WAY EMPLOYES. 

Since tl^e foregoing statistics show that human fallibility is responsible 
for 59.7 per cent of the deaths and 57.4 per cent of the casualties resulting 
from all accidents for the period under consideration, it is apparent that serious 
investigation must be made to find an effective remedy. This is especially true 
since it has been demonstrated that it is not impossible to obtain reliability 
and precision from such employes in other countries and from employes in 
other industries of this country. 


9 


RELATIONS BETWEEN RAILWAY MANAGERS AND EM- 
PLOYES. 


There should be closer working relations between the managers and em- 
ployes of railways for the purpose of encouraging open and free discussion on 
the subject of safety. The problem of making men trustworthy and depend- 
able, if approached in the right direction, will not be found the hopeless task it 
is often assumed to be. Some of the railway companies have already formed 
“safety committees,” with this very object in view. Their slogan is “safety 
first.” They co-operate with all the employes in devising measures of safety 
for the protection of life and limb in all branches of railway operation. 
Methods of this kind should be extended and encouraged. 

\ 

RAILWAY EMPLOYES OF ALL GRADES SHOULD BE AMEN- 
ABLE TO STATE. 

Much has been accomplished by Germany and other European countries 
in checkmating preventable accidents in railroad operation by making rail- 
road employes amenable to the state for negligence in the performance of their 
duties. Thus far, however, when effective disciplinary measures have been 
suggested as a deterrent to carelessness in operation, the difference in the 
sociological and political conditions existing here and in European countries 
has been cited as an insurmountable obstacle to such methods. Even though 
a majority of the European countries are in advance of us on this question, 
a start has only been made in the direction of eliminating the human equation 
from railroad operation. The American people, the most efficient on earth, 
could accomplish much in this same direction if they but tried. A new idea 
cannot be perfected without some experiment, and until an honest attempt 
is made to find out how far the methods in vogue in the European countries 
may be relied upon in this country, it will not be known to what extent socio- 
logical and political conditions enter as factors into this problem. 


THE RAILWAY EMLOYES’ INTEREST IN CORRECTIVE 

MEASURES. 

The operation of railway trains is fast developing into an important and 
superior vocation, and all right-minded employes are beginning to realize the 
necessity of the introduction of effective means to protect them personally from 
the dangers attendant on the negligent acts of incompetent, careless or indiffer- 
ent employes. It is conducive to their own interests and safety to encourage 
and advance such projects. 


10 


REMEDY FOR FALLIBILITY IN RAILWAY EMPLOYES. 


To accomplish this purpose, it may be necessary for the state to go 
beyond the corporate entity and its executive officers and hold each individ- 
ual employe responsible for the proper and safe performance of his individual 
duty. This may be brought about in many different ways, and it is suggested 
that it may be effected in the following manner: 

Employes engaged in train operation should be required by law to serve 
an apprenticeship of a sufficient duration to qualify themselves for the posi- 
tion they seek. Before the applicant is permitted to serve in any capacity 
in train service, he should be examined by a competent state board of ex- 
aminers as to his physical and mental qualifications. Such examinations and 
tests should be graduated so as to meet the requirements of the different 
grades of the service, and a license should define the kind of service the appli- 
cant may perform. The state to reserve the right to revoke the license for good 
cause, which should be renewed only upon satisfactory showing. 

Most of the states have legislation of this character as to physicians, 
lawyers, dentists, undertakers, electricians, horseshoers, plumbers, stationary 
enginemen, barbers and others, for no other purpose than to protect society, 
and it is needless to add that excellent results have been secured. As far as 
the public is concerned it is difficult to understand how the ability and re- 
quirements of the horseshoers, barbers or plumbers, are of greater impor- 
tance to society than that of railway employes, and if it is possible to reduce 
indiscretions and incompetency in the classes mentioned by effective legis- 
lation, it should not be difficult to extend similar legislation to railway 
officials, managers and employes with corresponding benefit. 

STATE LAWS BEARING ON OMISSIONS OF DUTY. 

Some of the states of the Union now have laws upon their statute books 
making the omission of duty of railway employes a misdemeanor. 

The Minnesota law reads as follows: 

“5002. Other Violations of Duty. Every engineer, conductor, brake- 
man, switch-tender, train dispatcher, or any other officer, agent or servant 
of any railway company, who shall be guilty of any wilful violation or omis- 
sion as such officer, agent or servant, by which human life or safety shall be 
endangered, for which no punishment is specially prescribed, shall be guilty 
of a misdemeanor.’’ (6638.) 

The Minnesota law, however, makes it incumbent upon the county in 
which the accident occurred, to prosecute. Very often the counties do not 
prosecute, and it may be desirable to have these laws broadened so as to make 


11 


it obligatory upon the state through the attorney general to aid when ad- 
visable in the prosecution of any omissions of duty whereby persons are either 
killed or injured. 


DEFECTIVE ROADWAY. 

The foregoing table also shows that 789 of the preventable accidents 
were caused by defective track, resulting in 21 deaths and 808 injuries to 
persons. Insignificant, you might properly say, compared with the casualties 
resulting from collisions ; however, they would not have occurred if the railway 
companies had provided a safe roadway for the operation of their trains. 
The fact that 1 4 per cent of the casualties from preventable accidents are 
due to this very cause, is of sufficient moment to merit earnest consideration, 
and it is suggested that careful thought be given the matter of requiring state 
supervision of all railway roadways, including track, ties, switches, bridges, 
etc. 


BROKEN RAILS. 

The table also shows that broken rails were the source of 277 of the non- 
preventable accidents, causing 22 deaths and 768 injuries to persons, or a total 
of 790 casualties. Compared with the 4,103 preventable accidents which 
caused 293 deaths and 5,836 injuries to persons, or a total of 6,131 casual- 
ties, it demonstrates beyond question that rail failures are not the main agent 
of railway disasters, as the public has been led to believe. 

EFFORTS TOWARD ATTAINMENT OF IDEAL RAIL. 

There is probably no topic associated with railroads that has been or is at 
the present time being subjected to such thorough study, experiment and re- 
search, as is that of railroad rails. Several eminent bodies, composed of the 
ablest engineers and metallurgists in this country, have been for sometime past 
and are still conducting experiments and tests for the purpose of getting the 
ideal rail, and their efforts have been marked by considerable progress. 

INVESTIGATIONS OF RAIL FAILURES. 

Many investigations have been made of rail failures. It is not claimed 
that rails break from their own inherent shortcomings, and it does not seem 
that rails which have safely stood shipment from the mills, handling and 
placing into track, should fail from their own innate weakness. 

These examinations indicate that breakages occur in rails constituted 
of good as well as poor quality metal. The failures are largely caused by 


12 


unusual strains which are induced by severe and abnormal service conditions 
to which rails are subjected, in which may be included shocks from broken 
or flat wheels, defective counterbalances, wheels out of round, defective track, 
improper fastening of rails upon ties and other like circumstances that would 
tend to produce such strains. Approximately 55 per cent of rails broken 
may be classified as being of good metal; the remaining 45 per cent con- 
sists of comparatively poor quality metal. 

By term “poor quality” is meant rails proving themselves defective after 
having been subjected to service and cover such defects as segregation of 
constituents, unsoundness, brittleness, faulty rolling, including pipe, old 
seam, flow of metal, split head, crushed head, split web, broken base and 
other short-comings, many of which defects it would be impossible to dis- 
cover at the mill. * 

RAIL FAILURES DURING COLD WEATHER. 

These examinations also show that the largest number of rail failures 
occur during winter months, and especially during periods of extremely cold 
weather. This being the case, it appears railroad travel might perhaps be ren- 
dered safer if the speed of heavy passenger trains was restricted within moder- 
ate limits during at least the era of extereme temperatures. 

AMERICAN RAILS vs. EUROPEAN RAILS. 

While rail breakages are practically unknown on European railways, the 
foreign rails are not by any means superior to American rails; however, the 
European roadbed, as a general rule, is far superior to the American roadbed, 
because it is much better built and drained. The rails are screwed in well- 
preserved ties and these are bedded with utmost care to secure that permanent 
evenness and smoothness of surface that is so essential for adequate and 
proper support for the rails and the loads. 

WHEEL LOADS ON RAILROAD RAILS. 

In England, the greatest allowable or safe weight per driving wheel to be 
borne by rail for the Atlantic (4-4-2) and American (4-4-0) types of loco- 
motives is 22,400 pounds; for the Pacific (4-6-2) and Prairie (2-6-2) types, 

19.000 pounds. 

On the state railways of Germany and Italy, the allowable or safe weight 
per driving wheel is 18,150 pounds. Tests and experiences of these foreign 
railways were their guides in determining the safe limits of wheel pressures. 

In the United States the average wheel load has increased from about 

22.000 pounds in 1885 to 28,000 pounds in 1907, although many driving 
wheels carry more than 29,000 pounds, and some of the Atlantic type (4-4-2) 
carry over 30,000 pounds per driving wheel; the loading just given, viz., 

28.000 pounds, represents probably as nearly as may be the average driver 
loading of American locomotives, such as are used on main stem railways. 


13 


/ 


During the same period the weight of rail in main track has increased from 
about 65 to 75 pounds per yard to 85 and 100 pounds per yard, which heav- 
ier weights now generally predominate. 

The very marked contrast just cited, between the wheel loading on rails 
in Europe and in this country, indicates that the effect of the wheel load on 
rail might be a very profitable topic for further consideration and study. 

The Interstate Commerce Commission in its report of the accident on 
the Lehigh Valley Railroad, near Manchester, N. Y., August 25, 1911, 
states: 

“These examinations * * * should take up the securing of 

measurements in the track of the actual fibre stresses which are caused by the 
new types and weights of locomotives and under the different wheels of these 
locomotives in order to obtain information from which to judge of the 
severity of the strains to which the track is daily subjected; in fact, track 
conditions as they exist at the present time, should be dealt with even to 
the most minute detail.’’ 

RAILS MUST BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED. 

It is well recognized that rails must be properly supported and held in 
place, i. e., the ties supporting the rails must be of sufficient size and number 
to safely carry the loading intended, they must be so firmly and substantially 
bedded as to prevent rails from being submitted to any abnormal strains by 
deflections induced by passing wheels. 

That this point is important is demonstrated from a study of the causes 
of broken rails from which it is found a great many breakages have occurred 
right at or near places where tie renewals had just been made. Old bed is 
often disturbed more or less in putting in new ties and not sufficient attention 
is given in all cases to tamping and bedding new ties which omission results 
in an irregularity in the surface of the bed of the rail, so that enough shock 
is induced by the passing wheel to cause the rail to break. 

RAILS MUST NOT BE MISTREATED. 

Rails are of a molecular structure and should not be unnecessarily sub- 
mitted to blows from hammers, track mauls or otherwise. Such practices 
should especially be avoided in cold weather. 

RELIEF FROM BROKEN RAILS PROMISED. 

If the effective work now being done by those engaged in the preparation 
of the ideal rail was augmented by a similar effective educational work treat- 
ing with the proper care of rails and roadbed among the track forces of the 
railway companies, the prospects for the elimination of rail failures would in- 
deed be bright, and this end may be accomplished by co-operation with the 
forces preparing the new standard specifications for rails. 


14 


DEFECTS OF EQUIPMENT. 

It is also noted from the table that defects of equipment caused 1 ,98 1 
or about 63 per cent of all the non-preventable accidents. They were the source 
of 38 deaths and 698 injuries to persons; sixteen more deaths occurred from 
this source than from broken rails. This class of accidents leads by far 
all the classified causes under the heading “Non-preventable Accidents,” and 
as it is well known, defective equipment frequently causes broken rails. It 
appears this feature of our railroad practice also merits serious considera- 
tion and study. It is suggested that measures be devised for a more thorough 
and efficient system of inspection of all equipment. These methods of inspec- 
tion should be so thorough that it would prevent any but good order cars 
and locomotives being placed in trains. 


ERRORS IN RAILROAD OPERATION. 

When effective remedies have been devised and introduced for correcting 
the several foregoing defects in our railway operations, viz., collisions, de- 
fective track, broken rails and defective equipment, relief will have been 
obtained from 87.7 per cent of all railroad accidents; 79.4 per cent of all 
deaths and 87.1 per cent of all injuries to persons resulting from such acci- 
dents, and when these ends have been accomplished, it will then be time 
enough to devise means for the elimination of the remaining 12.3 per cent 
of the non-preventable accidents that have not then removed themselves by 
sympathetic contact with the effective application- 


AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNALS. 

Wonderful progress has been made in the development and perfection 
of the automatic block signal, a device designed to safeguard the movements 
of trains. The efficiency and reliability of this method of signal protection 
can probably best be illustrated by reference to the experience gained from 
such installation by one of our western railways. The company referred 
to has 454 of these signals in use; they afford protection to 100 miles of 
single track roadway and to 331 miles of double track roadway. 

During the year 1911, these signals performed 8,426,990 movements 
in actual service, out of which number only five false clear indications resulted, 
and as these false indications were immediately discovered by those in charge 
of their maintenance, the safe movements of trains were not affected by the 
failures. One of the failures was caused by defective lubrication of mechan- 
ism; the other four were attributed to faulty construction. This is, indeed. 


15 


a very remarkable showing and emphasizes in the strongest terms that the 
possibility of obtaining a false clear signal indication from the present perfected 
system of signaling, is very remote. 

That most gratifying results are obtainable from the use of automatic 
block signals, properly designed and installed, is demonstrable from the ex- 
perience of all who have used them in train operation, because their use 
reduces to a certain extent the opportunities for the human agency to err, 
and as their use also affords adequate protection to train movements, they are 
of inestimable value in safeguarding these movements. 

Many miles of the improved type of automatic block signals have been in- 
stalled and placed in use by the railways in this country for no other reasons 
than that of availing themselves of the advantages obtainable by the adoption of 
such means for safeguarding and expediting train movements. 

No question now remains but that the public’s interest in the safe operation 
of trains would be materially furthered and safeguarded if the introduction 
of the modern efficient automatic block signal systems was required to be 
extended to include all lines of railways where the prevailing traffic conditions 
could be materially improved thereby. These extensions should also include 
all lines that are now handling important traffic with inadequate, obsolete or 
antiquated signaling devices. 

INTERLOCKING PLANTS. 

There are probably no safety devices of greater importance to the public 
welfare in railroad operation than these protecting and safeguarding train 
movements over railroad crossings and through junction points at grade, and 
over draw bridges. While it is true that the various states have in the past 
interested themselves very effectively in seeing to it that ample protection 
was afforded from errors in train operation at these points, traffic conditions 
have changed so materially during the past decade that, as a general proposi- 
tion, the states’ efforts in this direction have not kept pace with the changed 
operating methods. 

In this connection it is extremely desirable and to the mutual benefit of 
both the public and the railway companies, if the rules and regulations affect- 
ing the construction and maintenance of these safety devices, be uniform in 
the essential features. These rules and regulations when finally prepared must 
be flexible enough so as to be workable and practical under ^II varying 
operating conditions, and it appears that this end can best be accomplished 
by the co-operation of those who are familiar with the operating conditions 
existing in the various parts of the country. 


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With this object in view, the railway commissions of the states of Indiana, 
Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, through their engineers and signal experts, 
have been at work for the past eighteen months in the preparation of a uniform 
system of rules and regulations for the construction, operation and maintenance 
of interlocking plants. The last conference was held in the office of the 
Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission, in St. Paul, on September 
27, 1912. The work is now so far advanced that it will be submitted to the 
four above named commissions for approval at an early date. 

LAWS AFFECTING RAILWAY OPERATION. 

Laws regulating the number of men constituting train crews, or the ex- 
perience these men must have before they may enter the train service, have 
been enacted in 2 1 states of the Union. > 

Laws regulating the number of hours of service of the employes engaged 
in train service have been enacted in 25 states and by the Federal Govern- 
ment. 

Laws regulating the kind of cabooses to be used in train operations have 
been enacted in 1 6 of the states. 

Laws regulating the kind of headlights to be used on locomotives have 
been enacted in 1 4 states. 

Locomotive boiler inspection legislation has been enacted in 7 of the 
states and also by the Federal Government. 

Ostensibly the purpose of these and other laws regulating train operation, 
is to protect society from the effects attendant upon the occurrence of errors 
in such operations, and it is probable if all these laws were rigidly enforced, 
that some measure of additional safety might be realized in this direction. 
It is a fact, however, that the legislation now existing for the public safety, 
has had very little effect toward removing the most prolific cause of railway 
fatalities, viz., human fallibility; and, unless more effective means are devised 
whereby this weak point in our railway practice be eliminated, and this 
is susceptible of accomplishment, our efforts toward approximating perfect 
safety in railroad operation must impress the public as not having been 
earnestly or intelligently undertaken. 

STATE LAWS. 

The lack of uniformity and the varying degrees to which state laws af- 
fecting railroad operation are enforced in the different states is very marked. 
The measure of safety which the public is demanding from errors in railroad 
operation cannot be expected to be realized without uniform and concerted 
action on the part of the different states whose duty it is to care for the public 
interests in this respect. 


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The advisability and fairness of some of the state laws now existing and 
affecting train operations are also open to question. 

LAWS REGULATING RAILROAD OPERATION SHOULD BE 
UNIFORM AND FAIR. 

Because of the confusion which now exists in the different state laws, 
it appears that both the interests of the public and the railway companies in 
the matter of safety from errors in railroad operation would be materially 
advanced if all legislation pertaining to railroad operation was made uniform 
insofar as the basic principles are concerned; and, necessarily, in the prep- 
aration of corrective measures of this character, the local or varying condi- 
tions, climatic or otherwise must be carefully studied and considered to the 
end that these rules and regulations when finally prepared, be expedient, 
fair and practical. Thus, it would appear that wonderful results may be 
accomplished for the welfare of society in this direction by the earnest co- 
operation of the different states. 

Dated at St. Paul, Minn., October 23, 1912. 


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